We have to talk about Mexico

Well, as if you don't already know the world of the bulls is constantly under attack. This past month, (see article below) the Senate in Mexico voted on and approved a new animal welfare law. 

The short of it, from what I understand, is that each state will now decide on how they will regulate any sport or entertainment activity that involves animals. This doesn't just affect the bullfight, it also affects rodeos, horse racing, cock fights, and las charreadas, and perhaps other activities. 

Basically the bullfight could be completely banned in Mexico if each state decides to do so. 

However, some states have already come out and said they will still support the bullfight. They realize that it is an important part of their economy and culture. 

As we know though the bullfight is pretty much gone in Mexico City, the biggest plaza de toros in the world has been silent for some time now and will not be coming back. What a tragic loss for the world of the bulls, but it is reality and we have to deal with it. And there could be a silver lining, lord knows we as bullfight fans are always looking for silver linings, and that is that the bullfight could become more protected in other areas.

And this is where I have to admit that I have been delinquent, I have not done a good job in learning about and keeping up with bullfights in Mexico. So it looks like I have a lot of work ahead of me, I'm going to need to become much more familiar with where the bullfights are held in Mexico, what state they are located in, and what is their future. 

With regards to Spain, luckily the bullfight, for now, is protected. 

Per Google, "Bullfighting in Spain is protected and recognized as part of the country's cultural heritage under Law 18/2013 (passed in November 2013), which officially declared bullfighting an intangible cultural asset (patrimonio cultural) and requires the state to safeguard and promote it."

Now, there have been rumors lately that the Left has been trying to make backroom deals with some in the middle to vote to overturn the protected status of the bullfight in favor of having Spain do what Mexico has just done. 

I don't know how this is all going to play out, but it is something we are going to have to monitor closely. 

If you have a lucky rabbit's foot now would be the time to start rubbing it.

México: El Senado aprueba una normativa de bienestar animal que deja al toreo a merced de la voluntad de cada estado de la República

(mundotoro.com 9-30-26)

El Senado de la República de México aprobó este martes una minuta en materia de bienestar animal que deja a los gobiernos locales y de cada estado del país la regulación de la Tauromaquia, las peleas de gallos, los jaripeos y las suertes de la charrería. Pero establece una condición determinante: deberán hacerlo considerando en todo momento el principio de progresividad. Es decir, que allí donde un gobierno local o estatal legisle a favor de las corridas de toros, tal y como se celebran ahora mismo, no podrán ser modificadas por un gobierno posterior. De la misma forma, cualquiera autoridad estatal o local que hoy modifique los festejos taurinos sin sangre habrán perdido para siempre la forma tradicional de las corridas de toros. Aplicando esta progresividad, la Monumental de México estaría abocada a no celebrar más corridas de toros.

El principio de progresividad significa que las entidades federativas no tendrán las manos libres. La progresividad implica avanzar en la protección reconocida y, en su vertiente de no regresividad, impide reducirla sin una justificación constitucional suficiente. Las restricciones existentes se convierten así en un parámetro para impugnar cualquier reforma que pretenda revertirlas.

Aplicado en estos términos, el principio entraña un peligro gravísimo para estas actividades: una mayoría circunstancial podría aprobar una prohibición desproporcionada y dejar a futuras legislaturas con un margen mínimo para corregirla. Una mala decisión legislativa podría convertirse en una restricción prácticamente irreversible. La vulnerabilidad en la que quedan la charrería, la gallística y la tauromaquia es alarmante.

En la Ciudad de México, la consecuencia es especialmente grave. El Congreso despojó a la corrida de sus elementos esenciales y tradicionales y llamó “taurino” al espectáculo resultante. Conservar esa denominación no conserva la fiesta brava.

La minuta debe pasar ahora a la Cámara de Diputados, como cámara revisora. Si la aprueba en sus términos y la nueva ley entra en vigor, el regreso de las corridas tradicionales a la Plaza México quedará prácticamente cerrado.

Una futura mayoría en el Congreso capitalino no bastaría para recuperar la fiesta: la reforma que restableciera la lidia tradicional podría ser impugnada e invalidada por reducir la protección animal previamente reconocida.

Ahí está la gravedad: consolidar las restricciones actuales hasta hacer prácticamente imposible recuperar las corridas de toros en la Plaza México. Y dejar expuestas al mismo riesgo otras tradiciones, junto con el trabajo y el sustento de quienes viven de ellas.

Dejar a los estados la facultad de legislar sirve de poco si se les limita de esta manera la posibilidad de rectificar.

https://www.mundotoro.com/noticia/mexico-el-senado-aprueba-una-normativa-de-bienestar-animal-que-deja-al-toreo-a-merced-de-la-voluntad-de-cada-estado-de-la-republica/1982307

Clash over staging bullfights in Tijuana continues

(borderreport.com 12-18-25)

Tijuana City Manager Arnulfo Guerrero León told reporters earlier this week the city will not issue permits to a new bullring that is seeking to stage bullfights in the coming year. Promoters are accusing the city of “overstepping” its authority since these type of events are not illegal in the state of Baja California. But Guerrero León insists he has the jurisdiction to prevent bullfights from taking place.

“We have the discretionary capacity as a government to issue permits according to requirements we have listed, surely we’re going to prohibit bullfights,” he said.

On Tuesday, operators of Tijuana’s new bullring, which opened in May 2023, claimed a temporary judicial injunction suspending bullfights had come to an end. Bullfights in the city have not taken place since the summer of 2023.

“The suspension of bullfights has ended, there is no legal impediment now to prevent these festivities from returning to our state,” said a news issued by administrators with the Nuevo Toreo de Tijuana.

Animal rights activists like Frank Ortiz González said on the federal level in Mexico, bullfights are prohibited. He also stated the Baja California state code has determined that animals are sensitive beings and are subject to protection from harm.

“If someone in Tijuana dares to stage a bullfight, we will sue them and seek penalties under health and civic statutes,” Ortiz González said. “This could result in millions of pesos in fines.”

The people behind the proposed bullfights have said they will soon issue a formal schedule for bullfights to be held in 2026. As of Tuesday, according to Guerrero León, the city has not received any formal applications for permits involving bullfights in Tijuana, although he did say promoters can apply up to a few days leading up to an event.

https://www.borderreport.com/hot-topics/border-culture/clash-over-staging-bullfights-in-tijuana-continues/

Vuelven los toros a Tijuana tras la suspensión judicial que impedía la celebración de festejos taurinos

(mundotoro.com 12-8-25)

Tijuana y su plaza de toros ‘Nuevo Toreo de Tijuana’ volverán a tener toros. Así lo ha anunciado el empresario Manuel Bouser que, a través de un comunicado, se ha hecho eco de la noticia sobre la sus pensión jubila que impedía la celebración de corridas de toros en la ciudad mexicana. Un triunfo más de la tauromaquia en tierras aztecas.

En el comunicado también ha hecho referencia a que, en los próximos días, se convocará una rueda de prensa para presentar de manera oficial la temporada taurina de Tijuana.

El comunicado oficial es el siguiente:

‘Recientemente se desechó el recurso de revisión que sostenía la suspensión de las corridas en Baja California. Con lo anterior, no existe impedimento legal para que los festejos taurinos regresen a nuestro estado. Nuestro reconocimiento y felicitación al equipo jurídico del «Nuevo Toreo», cuya labor fue determinante para lograr este resultado’.

‘En próximos días, la empresa convocará a una conferencia de prensa para anunciar de manera oficial la Temporada Tijuana 2026’.

https://www.mundotoro.com/noticia/vuelven-los-toros-a-tijuana-tras-la-suspension-judicial-que-prohibia-la-celebracion-de-festejos-taurinos/1909692

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Some good news

Finally some good news, the bill put up by the anti-bullfight politicians in Spain went to a vote yesterday  and it went down in flames, thank the Lord.

Below is an editorial from Mundotoro from today and also a small article from yesterday reporting on the failure of their bill.

I don't know much about Spain's political parties, and that is probably a good thing. (I'll keep our two party system of politics thank you very much.) It seems like they have several political parties with seats in their Congress and a large portion chose not to vote. Those representatives that did vote voted 3 to 1 in favor of keeping the bullfight protected as a "patrimonio cultural."

A victory for us, the lovers of culture and the bulls.

So at least for now we can sleep a little more sound. 

But I am sure the peace won't last long, the bullfight is constantly under attack by the uneducated, and there are a lot of uneducated persons out there.

Apología de la tonta y el tonto

(mundotoro.com October 8, 2025)

Cuando todos, incluidos Yolanda Díaz y Ernest Urtasun, pensaban que, por decoro entre partes (las nobles, no, PSOE y SUMAR) los socialistas iban a votar a favor de la tramitación de la ILP contra la consideración del toreo como cultura, apareció la sorpresa: el PSOE se abstuvo. El petardo de Urtasun y Yolanda es del tamaño del petardo de las pretendidas 37 horas laborales y otros más. La temporada de estos dos ases del escalafón político es de traca. Se les queda cara de yo no he sido y uno no sabe si la villanía que les atribuimos es, simplemente, estupidez. Osea, que son tontos.

Sobre la estupidez se dijo que todos los que parecen estúpidos lo son y, además, también lo son la mitad de los que no lo parecen. El petardo de Sumar, Junts, Podemos, ERC, BILDU y los también vascos del PNV, es un ridículo político medioambiental. En estas siglas los hay de extrema muy derecha y hasta xenófobos (filas de Junts) amanuenses de cirio y vela apegados al clero vasco de sotana (PNV) nacionalistas sin más, independentistas con más, republicanos, antimonárquicos, generales machos alfa, cabos gays, adultos sin edad de botellón universitario en Podemos… Efectivamente, hay dos cosas infinitas, el Universo y la estupidez. Y, como dijo Einstein, lo del Universo no está claro.

Lo del PNV es para enmarcar. Vive este partido mirando, no de reojo sino con descaro, lo que hace EH BILDU. Porque le come ya la tostada en la comunidad vasca. Como los de sotana y alzacuellos no tienen propuestas, proponen votar con BILDU a compás, no sea que le arañen más votos. Su estupidez es cumlaude. El PNV aún no es consciente de que ha sido su apego a este gobierno lo que ha blanqueado y lanzado a BILDU. Si los descendientes de Josu Ternera no hubieran tenido el altavoz y la visualización que les da este gobierno, en el País Vasco la tostada aún se la comerían ellos. Al PNV se le han atragantado los toros.

Hay una especie de regreso a la cordura en esta votación. Puede ser azarosa. No mucha, pero algo la hay en esta España de Caín y Abel, en donde cada muerto de toda época (da igual la Guerra Civil que Palestina) vota. Este es un país donde los muertos no ayudan al voto, es que votan. Los vivos votan a compás del uso perverso del muerto, al que resucitan para votar. A compás de la figura del toreo más hábil y más ladino de la historia del toreo, que es la de España. El más listo de la clase: Pedro Sánchez. Resulta esotéricamente incomprensible desde la lectura política esta abstención que jode profundamente a Sumar, socio en el Gobierno. O resultaría.

Porque Pedro Sanchez es capaz de mandar mensajes visuales a Yolanda y a Urtasun para decirles: este es nuestro sitio, ubicaros. Es decir, sois dos estúpidos o tontos útiles. Eso por una parte. Por otra, en esta campaña constante que es la vida política, Sánchez anda ganando espacio por el lado de su izquierda.  Fagocita votos por la izquierda (Sumar y Podemos) con quienes, de cuando en vez, ha de diferenciarse. Por tanto, la abstención en la votación forma parte de un dejar claro quien manda y quien los ha puesto (a Yolanda y a Ernesto) y, por otra, es el mensaje de que no todos somos tan estúpidos. No vote a un estúpido, vóteme a mí.

Razones para que se vayan a sus casas Urtasun y Yolanda tienen más que granos de arena la playa de Sanlúcar. Un torero que va de petardo en petardo, se corta la coleta. Pero… ¿dónde van a ir esos muchachos metidos en edad si dejan el pesebre? Aún sabiendo que trabajar no es indigno, aplican su única no estupidez a su espalda: ¿trabajar? Estos que demandan pan y trabajo son ‘neopijos’ que exigen  pan y trabajo, al tiempo que, entre cañita y cañita, se parten lo de atrás afirmando que el pan engorda y que el trabajo mata.

Por vergüenza torera y por mucho menos los ha habido que se han ido a su casa o se han tapado. Urtasun, al que han puesto de Ministro de Cultura porque ser esto en España es una ‘neojubilacion’ honorífica que delata la insolvencia intelectual de quien es nombrado, es un don nadie estúpido. Tonto, con las dos ‘o’ muy bien enfatizadas. Y Yolanda es vicepresidenta con el poder que en el gobierno tendría el presidente de una finca con siete vecinos. Urtasun se ha creído que lo es, Ministro de Cultura, y Yolanda se ha creído que lo es, vicepresidenta. Tontos. Eso sí, caro nos cuesta este elogio y apología de la estupidez humana. España hace apología del tonto y de la tonta creyéndose ambos reyes del mambo.

https://www.mundotoro.com/noticia/apologia-de-la-tonta-y-el-tonto/1900236

La abstención del PSOE tira por tierra la ILP antitaurina

(mundotoro.com October 7, 2025)

El toreo seguirá siendo patrimonio cultural de España. La abstención del Partido Socialista en la votación del Pleno del Congreso a la toma en consideración de la ILP antitaurina que buscaba derogar la ley 18/2013 que marca a la tauromaquia como parte del patrimonio cultural, ha echado por tierras las intenciones animalistas de varios partidos políticos del Congreso de los Diputados. 

Los resultados están claros: de 344 votos emitidos, solo 57 han sido favorables a la iniciativa legislativa popular, por los 169 que han votado en contra a ella. Las abstenciones, que han sido 118, han marcado el rechazo a la ILP antitaurina, promovida por partidos como Sumar y apoyadas por Bildu, PNV, Esquerra Republicana, Junts per Catalunya y Podemos. 

En el debate, que comenzó a las 15:00 horas, cada partido político marcó su postura en cuanto a la iniciativa legislativa popular promovida por unas doscientas organizaciones animalistas, la cual contenía unas 700.000 firmas de las que la Junta Electoral Central dio por válidas 664.777 el pasado mes de febrero. 

La marcha atrás del PSOE, unida al firme rechazo del Partido Popular y Vox a la ILP antitaurina, marcan la victoria de la libertad y de la tauromaquia, que seguirá siendo patrimonio cultural de España.

https://www.mundotoro.com/noticia/la-abstencion-del-psoe-tira-por-tierra-la-ilp-antitaurina/1900191

It has been a busy year and there is still more to come

So, 2025 has been a busy year in the bullfight world, but also at times a stressful one. But the year isn't over yet, and I will have a busy winter trying to catch up on all that I have missed. 

One big event coming up is a bullfight in Madrid to pay homage to Antoñete which is being organised by Morante de la Puebla. 

The 12th of October will be a huge day in Madrid, boy I wish I could be there. 

Not only will there be the normal huge "Corrida de la Hispanidad" which is one of the biggest of the year, (this year featuring Morante, Fernando Robleno and Sergio Rodriguez) but there will be a 12 noon bullfight as well to raise money for an Antoñete statue to be placed on the Las Ventas grounds. 

7 bulls will be fought during this special noon time corrida, and many of the retired greats are coming back at the request of Morante. Those being;

-Pablo Hermoso de Mendoza

-Curro Vazquez 

-Cesar Rincon

-Enrique Ponce

-Julio Aparicio

Then Morante and Olga Casado will round out the field.

Tickets for this special bullfight sold out in 40 minutes. Can you imagine being in attendance? If you had tickets for both bullfights that day you would see 15 bullfights. A marathon to say the least, but a beautiful day indeed.

And to top it off Morante has contracted with the Osborne ranch for a least one bull to pay homage to the famous "el milagro del toro blanco" . (see post from earlier today)

I guess Morante went to the Osborne ranch and hand picked the bull himself, a white one.

Anyway, what a year.

But it hasn't been all good news. I've seen some things on Instagram about the owners of the Plaza Mexico have decided to not hold bullfights anymore. Effectively shutting down the most important plaza de toros in America. 

In more bad news, the government in Colombia has voted to outlaw bullfights all together starting in 2027 I believe. 

And there is a big vote or debate this week in Spain's government about putting the cultural protection for bullfighting up for a vote. 

So it never ends, the bullfight is always under attack. 

Who knows what will happen? 

All I know is I am constantly stressed about it. 

Bullfighting In Spain Stays Alive Despite Regional Ban

http://www.npr.org/2011/09/28/140889324/bullfighting-in-spain-stays-alive-despite-regional-ban

 

(by Lauren Frayer npr.org 9-28-11)

 

Spain's northeast region of Catalonia held its final bullfight last weekend, after voting last year to ban the practice.

But it's a different story elsewhere in Spain. While relatively few Spaniards are real aficionados of bullfighting, many more see it as a national tradition and don't want it banned.

On a recent day, Antonio Gutierrez and his friends puff on cigars and shuffle dominoes on a folding table near Madrid's famed Las Ventas bullring. They're a bit suspicious of a foreigner asking about bullfights.

"Bullfighting is very, very good. OK?" says Gutierrez.

Regional Conflict

They start cursing what they call "uppity Catalans," accusing Barcelona — the capital of Catalonia — of turning the world against bullfighting.

"Bullfighting is the history of Spain. It's the tradition in Spain. Barcelona is anti-bullfight, because it's anti-Spain," Gutierrez explains.

In other words, he thinks Catalonia's ban on bullfighting is mostly about politics and nationalism. The Catalan language and culture were repressed during the nearly 40-year military dictatorship of Francisco Franco.

Since democracy, Catalan nationalists have sought to cast off all things Castilian — referring to Spain's central, and more conservative, heartland.

But bullfighting is alive and well in Madrid. Ionela Olteanu gives tours at the Las Ventas ring.

"For us, it's an art. It's combination of an artistic part and a technical part. And it's very important, this tradition," Olteanu says.

Bullfighting on foot began as a peasant game and morphed into something regal — a source of national pride, says Ricardo Perez, cuddling with his girlfriend on a bench near the bullring. It's what he was raised with — even if it is a bit bloody, he says. He respects it and thinks it should not be banned.

"I don't like that people kill bulls, but I respect it. I think it should be legal," Perez says.

Economic Challenges

It's true that attendance at bullfights is down nationwide — from 2,622 in 2007 to 1,724 in 2010, a drop of about one-third. Alexander Fiske-Harrison is a British aficionado who writes about bullfighting. Speaking from his home in London, he blames Spain's economic crisis for bullfighting's decline.

"Bullfighting has fallen off as the economy has collapsed, because it's an expensive hobby. People can't afford the tickets, and people can't afford the bulls," he says.

The bad economy even affects the quality of bulls that breeders bring to the ring.

Paco Mateo is a black-clad, chain-smoking writer. With his dark beard, he seems to be channeling another famous bullfighting writer, Ernest Hemingway, as he sits brooding at a cafe near the Plaza de Toros.

"In the world of bullfighting, there's much corruption, he says. The people killing the bulls aren't the fighters, it's those who are trying to save money because of the crisis, he says, adding that the companies are rotting the game.

When the bulls are weak or listless, and the matador has to goad them into fighting — that, he says, is when the sport looks most cruel.

A Complex Love-Hate Relationship

Many younger Spaniards, like Elisabeth Barcelo, don't see any romance in bullfighting.

"Bulls are not aware of what they do, but people are. So I don't like it. It's torturing an animal. It doesn't make any sense to me," she says.

Barcelo leans up against a bus stop plastered with an Armani ad. The hunky model on the poster is a famous bullfighter. And that's the paradox of bullfighting in modern Spain: The younger generation calls it murder, but still sees matadors as style icons.

The British aficionado, Fiske-Harrison, trained as a bullfighter himself.

"I think there will be an ongoing conflict between the animal rights and animal welfare lobby on the one side, and the pro-bullfighting lobby on the other. It's very hard to see it actually dying out completely, though."

Meanwhile, Madrid's bullring hosts half a dozen fights this weekend. Out of 24,000 seats, 20,000 tickets have already been sold.

Looking for Wedge From Spain, Catalonia Bans Bullfighting

(by Raphael Minder nytimes.com 7-28-10)

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/29/world/europe/29spain.html?_r=0

 



Lawmakers in the northeastern Spanish region of Catalonia voted to ban bullfighting on Wednesday, dealing the most significant blow so far to a tradition considered by many Spaniards to be an essential part of their cultural patrimony.

 

In many ways, however, the ban reflected less on the animal rights than on a political debate over Catalan identity and a push by local parties for greater independence from the rest of Spain. With the strong support of separatist parties, the ban passed by a larger margin than expected: 68 to 55, with 9 abstentions. It is to go into effect in 2012.

 

The ban — the first in mainland Spain — comes at a time of decline for bullfighting in real terms, if not in emotional power. Reliant on state subsidies, bullfighting has suffered heavily from forced cuts in public financing. The impact has been particularly felt in smaller towns, where indebted local administrations have had to cancel bullfights, once the focus of annual festivities. The number of such bullfighting fiestas has dropped by almost a third from 2007.

The decline is particularly sharp in Catalonia, home to some of the country’s first bullfighting societies and leading bullfighters. The main city, Barcelona, once operated three bullrings to cater to a fanatic public. Now, there is just one bullring, La Monumental, which attracts as few as 400 season-ticket holders. Madrid’s main, similarly sized bullring draws 19,000.

Still, the ban was hailed as a major victory by animal welfare groups that have long crusaded against what they consider to be a barbaric practice.
 
“This is a historic day for all those who have worked to promote animal rights in a modern society like ours,” said José Ramón Mallén, a representative of Fundación Equanimal, an animal rights organization. “This is not about politics and Catalan identity, but about ethics and showing that it’s simply wrong to enjoy watching an animal getting killed in public.”

The vote came amid intense political bickering in the wake of a contested ruling last month by Spain’s constitutional court on a Catalan autonomy charter, which has been approved by Catalonia’s 5.5 million voters as well as the Spanish Parliament. The court endorsed most of the charter but struck out a legal claim to nationhood, among other points that Catalan separatists demanded.
The vote also came ahead of Catalan regional elections this year. Catalan separatism has been gradually gaining ground since the late 1970s and the end of the Franco dictatorship. The re-establishing of Catalan as an official language is arguably the separatists’ most notable achievement so far.

The Catalan Parliament last month approved a law to have 50 percent of foreign movies dubbed or subtitled in Catalan, despite concerns in Hollywood about higher distribution costs.

One bullfighter, Vicente Barrera, criticized the ban as politically oriented. “Bullfighting is an art, and Catalonia is abandoning for ridiculous political reasons the tradition and culture that makes Spain so special,” he said.

While recognizing that such a ban suited their broader separation goals, some lawmakers also emphasized that animal welfare had developed into a major concern.

“This is not an attack against Spain but evidence that we, Catalans, support and share more advanced values with the rest of Europe,” said Josep Rull, a lawmaker from Convergence and Union, a Catalan party. “We can be proud to have demonstrated today that Catalonia has a more dignified and respectful society that believes in eliminating the torture and suffering of animals.”

However, José Montilla, the head of the regional government, said he voted against the ban and lamented the fact that the issue had been turned into “a thermometer” to measure the state of the relationship between Catalonia and the rest of Spain.

Lawmakers from Spain’s largest center-right group, the Popular Party, led the opposition to the ban, citing political, cultural as well as economic grounds. The party’s leading spokesman and representative in the European Parliament, Jaime Mayor Oreja, said the ban was proof of a separatist “assault” from Catalonia and reflected “the profound national crisis that Spain is enduring.”

In the weeks leading to the Catalonia ban, there was fierce lobbying on both sides, with supporters of bullfighting warning that they would take legal action against any move that would breach basic rights — including the right to work — enshrined in the Spanish Constitution. Some argued that a ban would be akin to prohibiting painting, because bullfighters regularly receive national arts awards and their activities form part of the cultural coverage of newspapers and other media.

Barcelona must now decide what to do with La Monumental, one of the world’s leading bullrings. And the bullfighting sector is expected to try to claim hundreds of millions of dollars to offset losses resulting from the ban — although that figure has been contested by opponents of bullfighting.

The roster of famed Catalonian bullfighters includes Joaquín Bernadóa and Mario Cabré (who also appeared with Ava Gardner in the 1951 film “Pandora and the Flying Dutchman”).